The Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities was instituted by the Government in 2015. It is observed by the Parish Council. The requirements are listed below. The financial details required annually will be published on the website by July 1. Minutes, agendas and background papers are already available.

Requirements

The following must be published annually, by no later than 1 July each year:

all items of expenditure above £100;

end of year accounts, annual governance statement, and internal audit report (as contained in the annual return), with the statement of accounts, accompanied by:

a copy of the bank reconciliation for the relevant financial year;

an explanation of any significant variances (e.g. more than 10-15 per cent, in line with proper practices) in the statement of accounts for the relevant year and previous year; and

an explanation of any differences between ‘balances carried forward’ and ‘total cash and short term investments’, if applicable.

a list of councillor or member responsibilities; and

details of public land and building assets owned by the smaller authority (except internal drainage boards and charter trustees).

The following should be published more frequently than once annually, on the specified occasions:

draft minutes from all formal meetings (i.e. full council or board, committee and subcommittee meetings) not later than one month after the meeting has taken place, and;

meeting agendas and background papers, no later than three clear days before the meeting is taking place.

Councillor /member responsibilities are as follows:

Steve Hepworth – Chair

Peter Emery – Vice-chair

No other specific responsibilities have been allocated.

Land owned: Playing field, Alton Barnes.

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct below is provided by Wiltshire Council and has been adopted by the Parish Council.

Wiltshire Council Code of Conduct

You are a member or co-opted member of Alton Parish Council and hence you shall have regard to the following principles - selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

You must promote and support high standards of conduct when serving in your public post, in particular as characterised by the following requirements, by leadership and example.

Accordingly, when acting in your capacity as a member or co-opted member:

You must act solely in the public interest and should never improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person or act to gain financial or other material benefits for yourself, your family, a friend or close associate.

You must not place yourself under a financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence you in the performance of your official duties.

When carrying out your public duties you must make all choices, such as making public appointments, awarding contracts or recommending individuals for rewards or benefits, on merit.

You are accountable for your decisions to the public and you must co-operate fully with whatever scrutiny is appropriate to your office.

You must be as open as possible about your decisions and actions and the decisions and actions of your authority, and should be prepared to give reasons for those decisions and actions.

You must declare any private interests, both pecuniary and non-pecuniary, that relate to your public duties, and must take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest, including registering and declaring interests in a manner conforming with the procedures set out below.

You must, when using or authorising the use by others of the resources of your authority, ensure that such resources are not used improperly for political purposes (including party political purposes) and you must have regard to any applicable Local Authority Code of Publicity made under the Local Government Act 1986.

[Members of Wiltshire Council will have regard to the Roles and Responsibilities of Wiltshire Councillors according to Appendix 1 and Wiltshire Council Behaviours Framework at Appendix 2.]

Registering and declaring pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests

You must, within 28 days of taking office as a member or co-opted member, notify your authority’s monitoring officer of any disclosable pecuniary interest as defined by regulations made by the Secretary of State, where the pecuniary interest is yours, your spouse’s or civil partner’s, or is the pecuniary interest of somebody with whom you are living as a husband of wife, or as if you were civil partners.

In addition, you must, within 28 days of taking office as a member or co-opted member, notify your authority’s monitoring officer of any disclosable pecuniary or non- pecuniary interests which your authority has decided should be included in the register.

If an interest has not been entered onto the authority’s register you must disclose the interest to any meeting of authority at which you are present, where you have a disclosable interest in any matter being considered and where the matter is not a sensitive interest.

Following any disclosure of an interest which is not on the authority’s register or the subject of pending notification, you must notify the monitoring officer of the interest within 28 days beginning with the date of disclosure.

Unless dispensation has been granted, you may not participate in any discussion of, vote on, or discharge any function related to any matter in which you have a pecuniary interest as defined by regulations made by the Secretary of State. Additionally, you must observe the restrictions your authority places on your involvement in matters where you have a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest as defined by your authority.